Ever walk behind someone and notice their feet are pointing outwards? I'm talking extreme here, more than a 45 degree angle for each foot. This doesn't even seem comfortable to me. Often I notice this with.. larger people. Same with extreme pigeon toe. How can they run? Sometimes I figure if I steal something from them, I could easily run away with it because there's no way they can run with that kind of foot condition.

Do any of you walk this way? I would imagine it's a subconscious/physical leg thing and it would be a difficult to correct. Do you have problems running? Hip problems as you grow older? Just doesn't seem natural.

This drives me crazy. Every day on my commute I notice tons of people all shapes and sizes walking with their toes pointing out. It seems so strange and uncomfortable to me. Glad I am not the only one out there who notices this. Walk straight damn it!

I don't walk with my feet outward, but apparently I don't walk correctly. Apparently is explains why I hate running, since the way I put my feet down puts a strain on my leg muscles. But before you think I used this as an excuse to get out of sports, I only found out about this after I left school.

I walk that way. While my twin and I were in the womb, my twin was in front of me and sort of pushed me to the back. Which sent my feet outwards. They just sort of grew out that way. My mother tried doing exercises to straighten them out, but they didn't work. The only real way to "correct" my feet was to get leg braces, which she was against.

Anyway, I was self-conscious about it when I was younger, but it's cool now. It's comfortable to me (walking with my feet point straight is the most uncomfortable thing I can imagine, though running is fine) and I could give a shit if anyone thinks otherwise.

I used to walk duck-footed when I was younger. I was told this was an awkward way to walk, so after forcing myself to twist my feet inwards when I took a wide step (not as extreme as it sounds), I eventually learned to walk straight-footed.

Although, I could see the advantage, maybe. Association Football all day, errday.

I used to do that all the time. Maybe 45 degrees, not more. I've trained myself to do it less. Was really difficult at first and actually hurt, but over time muscle memory shifts and walking with the feet mostly pointing straight became natural and I don't have to think about it anymore.

This drives me crazy. Every day on my commute I notice tons of people all shapes and sizes walking with their toes pointing out. It seems so strange and uncomfortable to me. Glad I am not the only one out there who notices this. Walk straight damn it!

omg this.

I walk with my feet pointed straight forward lol. It's so weird, its kind of a turn off when hot girls walk like that, especially when they wear heels :\

I think the medical condition you're all referring to is called genu valgum, or more commonly known as knock knees.

As some of you have mentioned, it's caused by bone structure; basically having a wider pelvis and shorter thigh bone. Commonly seen in women, and some men. Ever see a person run and notice that from the knee down, their legs swing outward? Knock knees.

I've had this since I was a boy: they put braces on my legs as a baby back in the late 70s to attempt to stop it, but it never worked. My father had it, my son has it. I was made fun of in school, called "duck" and "penguin".

I'm actually worried about my kid, but at least he's skinny and handsome not fat and ugly like me. ha

Originally Posted by jmdajr

My personal trainer awhile back said it was from having weak and tight muscles. Basically your whole body is off balance and you have to train it to correct itself.

No, not at all, I was born with it. Even at my skinniest, when I could run marathons, my legs defaulted to an outward position. In fact, it actually made tread mills unnecessarily harder because it weakened me without much effort...so I was being exhausted earlier with little actual burning happening.

Originally Posted by Cereal KiIIer

45? I can do 270.

Yep, I can do that to. Now what I can't do for more than 20 seconds? Touch the toes on one foot with the toes on another.

I used to do that all the time. Maybe 45 degrees, not more. I've trained myself to do it less. Was really difficult at first and actually hurt, but over time muscle memory shifts and walking with the feet mostly pointing straight became natural and I don't have to think about it anymore.

I've been doing that for plenty of time already and it's true, your body learns to re-adjust itself to walking in a straight fashion, however there are some times when I have to check on my foot whenever I start to feel I'm walking the way I used to.

No, not at all, I was born with it. Even at my skinniest, when I could run marathons, my legs defaulted to an outward position. In fact, it actually made tread mills unnecessarily harder because it weakened me without much effort...so I was being exhausted earlier with little actual burning happening.

Yes of course. I guess I should have explained that this was more in reference to those who don't have any problems they are born with but ended up that way with poor habits. Kind of like posture. I had a lot of knee and back problems that I resolved with proper training, exercises..etc. But no matter what I do I will always have flat feet, so some activities I just don't do.. even with orthotics.

I am pigeon-toed in my right foot more than my left. I played sports (Soccer and Basketball and one year of Softball) and I was also dancing. Try dancing when you can't even turn your feet out the correct way. When I think about it, I walk with my feet pointed out (like a dancer) to over-correct. I've sort of corrected my pigeoned toed and only walk like that when I'm anxious or nervous.